001I'd like to call the Tuesday, June 3rd, 2025 um Foster Gloucester School Committee meeting to session. Um can I get a roll call? Sure. Uh Miss Cook here. Miss Joyce, Mr. Mara here, Mr. Dupi here, Miss Keeling Mr. Joyce here, Miss Peza, Miss Ferrer here, Mr. Rizzo here. Can we please stand for the pledge of allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all student and staff recognition. First up is the unified basketball division three state champions. I so need this joy tonight. So, nothing is better than introducing tonight our 2025 unified basketball state champions. This is our most wonderful head coach Haley Gatellis. So give her so one last time will you introduce everybody?
002I know we've been complaining. I will now introduce the members of our division 3 championship unified basketball [Applause] team. Abigail Olsfeld. Abby Abby Abby Abby Abby Lobby [Applause] Castelli, Billy Cook, Billy, Billy, Billy, Billy, Michael Dioro, Matanti. [Applause] No. Go on. Rebecca Kelman, [Applause] Preston Marsha, [Applause] Scarlet Murphy, [Applause] Olivia Peard, [Applause] Ava [Applause] Luzano, Savannah Loss, and her lookalike Marley Silva. [Applause] Isabella Vic not here from Warwick. She had a long drive if she didn't want Emily Violet. [Applause] Christian Appalonio, Melanie Brown, Joseph Joyce. Well, you know what? Colston Kazoo. There you are. Thanks for coming, David Perez. [Applause] De Marian [Music] Ravenel, Kaye [Applause] Santi, Kayn Kayn [Applause] Souza, Colobby Vital [Applause] Elelliana Adamo, [Applause] Brooke Arnold. [Applause] Did she play for us? Bridget Brown. I'm sorry. I don't remember her at all.
003Carnell Davis of the rest of these people. Scarlet Hall. Yeah. Cole Removitz. [Applause] David Laughler. Yeah, David. MVP Mattaline Mulligan. Reagan [Applause] Sedzic, Paige Strickland, she's here. [Applause] Michaela [Applause] Orig, Corey Balffor, Finnegan Chandler, [Applause] Samuel Floody. [Applause] Logan Murphy. That concludes and Von Cow. [Music] [Applause] I needed that laugh. Okay. So, now I'd like to introduce Bailey Brager. He is going to, if you remember a couple months ago, he came to us asking for money from the cell tower so they could go to nationals. He's here to report on what happened and to celebrate his kids. Thank you. I'm Bailey Braa ping it a business educator as well as deck adviser. Um I'm the least important person here tonight. I just the recognition recognition is for the for the DECA uh members in the
004club uh and what they did with the money that you were able to provide us which we're very thankful for. Um, after I introduce the students, they do have a few things that they'd like to say if that's okay with everybody. All right. Very good. All right. Oh, yeah. Sure thing. Yeah. Yeah. I just Yeah. Is that what we're going to do now? Anybody you want? Yeah. Yep. So, we'll do this. So, Nick Alteri Nick won Hospitality and Tourism Operations first place. First place award winner. Also, competency at ICDC. Excellent job. Thanks. Ario Venagra who's not here tonight but also first place in hospitality and tourism operations. Thank you. His counterpart Louis Venagro is here today. First place hospitality and touris tourism operations. Congratulations. Right. Second place award winner Marley Botti is not here with
005us tonight, I don't think. All right. Isab Isabella Ko her counterpart also second [Applause] place first place in business service marketing Brady [Applause] soy first place in business law and ethics team decision-making not here tonight but Simon Ashman his counterpart Christian Appalonio. Third place, I don't think is with us tonight, uh, Brea Bailey in business law and ethics team decision-making and her counterpart Leah Pek. here tonight with us Nathan West first place human resource management series [Applause] event with us tonight Olivia Peard first place marketing management team decision-making is Maline with us and her counterpart Maline Mclofflin [Applause] I don't see here with us tonight but ICDC competitor four years in a row. Mason Martins, first place, start a business plan. His counterpart uh is his sister's going to take this one for him tonight.
006Start a business plan. Ryan Berman, first place. Also with the uh the group there, Keen Pearson, first place, startup business plan. Coming back to the altar here, Olivia Berman, third place, apparel and accessories marketing management series. Not with us tonight, but a rising star, Sylvia Spasiano. Third place, retail merchandising series. Taking home third place, Tyler Bellum, uh, business services operations. Also, his counterpart, Sam Russell and Wyatt Oto. [Applause] Third place for innovation plan goes to Marley Haynes. her counterpart, Kayn Cutoto, and also the third member of the group, Kylie White, third place, Innovation [Applause] Plan. All right, so we're going to have a few members come up quickly and say a few words. Uh this is Nathan West, junior going into senior year. Hello. Uh good evening, uh members of the school committee, superintendent, and
007administrators, guests. So, uh, on behalf of the entire Pontia Deca chapter, I just wanted to say thank you so much for the opportunity to speak tonight and most importantly, thank you for your ongoing support. As Mr. Braa mentioned, a couple months ago, he were we were here. Unfortunately, I could not make it to that meeting, but I heard a lot about it. Thank you so much for your support. Your support managed to send some of our kids to ICDC, the international competition for DECA. And there we received a lot, a lot of development, a lot of just things that we learned there that have made us better and something that we're very passionate about. So this past year, we were able to represent Pongit at ICDC. So, and that really would not have been possible
008without you. So, I just wanted to say thank you so much from every single DECA member from the bottom of our hearts. Thank you so much. So, and uh to present some of the accomplishments that we had as a club this year, Olivia Peard. [Applause] Yes, we did. Alrighty. Hi, I'm Olivia Bard. Thank you for having me here today. So, for the year 2024 to 2025, we had a lot of success success with our club. We gained uh many members. So, a total we had 54 club members, which is almost the highest it's ever been. 40 members at leadership conference um in the fall. So, that was incredible to have that many people there. Um we had 44 um competitors at state CDC, the state competition, 24 placesers at state CDC, first, second, and third.
00914 ICDC competitors, 22 students at ICDC, 11 members receiving competency at ICDC, and $25,000 raised through fundraising. I just want to say thank you so much. It is through your support that all of this is possible. And I do want to say our PON against chapter had a lot of milestones just by going to ICDC. Um passing that test to receive competency is really a difficult task. So to have so many people, you know, able to go and do that is incredible. I do want to say my partner Maline can't be here today, but we actually received word that we were 86th percentile in the world for our competition. So it's with support like and so that is just one example. without your support, we were not we would not be able to do that.
010So, I just want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart. Thank you so much. Thank you. And in closing, Olivia Berman's going to kick us off with the expectations that we have for next year. So, when you see us next time, we're going to have we're not even going to be recognizable because of all the things that we're going to accomplish. Like you said, my name is Olivia Bryman. Thank you so much for having me here tonight. Um I'm just going to list off some of the expectations for next year. Um, we have 80 anticipated club members, which is almost double the amount that we've had this year. Um, which was very surprising. Uh, the biggest leadership conference attendance in school history, which will be 80 members, and that'll be on November
0117th. Um, most competitors at the Rhode Island State CDC at JWU in February 2026, which will probably be around 60 competitors. uh most ICDC qualifiers in school history, first, second, or third, uh plus test score, which will probably be around 30 qualifiers, which again is insane. Um most Pontagansit DECA club members brought to ICDC, which will probably be around 30 to 35. Again, that's that'll be around like 20 more than we've had this year. I'm really excited for that. Uh most funds raised by the DECA Club in a year. The goal for this year, we're looking around 35,000. We raised a lot this year um by ourselves and I'm really hoping that we can reach our goal of 35,000. Um and we're probably going to be doing around a minimum of one fundraising event per
012month. We're really going to try and raise the money because we love to see as many club members go to ICDC as we can. Um the best DECA club social media page in the state. Um we did a lot with that this year, but we're going to be doing even more next year and I'm really excited. Thank you guys. Thank you very much. Have a good night. And lastly tonight, our superintendent will address you. So, let me first say congratulations. That is fabulous and awesome. And as you plan those fundraisers, if you can let me know, I can let them know so they can help support you as well. Congratulations everyone. This was a really Where's Miss Killing? This was a great meeting so far. And Mr. Bragg, thank you. I was actually looking for
013you as well. You were right behind that poll. Uh, thank you for um agreeing and and and growing this club. Um, congratulations to all that hard work. Um, we appreciate it very much. Yeah. All right. So, um, before we go into the recognition, there's one thing I want to do. Um, can we do the special ed address because I know we're on a time constraint. So, Miss Palantonio, can you come up with me um and help me with that? and Miss Ganella. Um I think Miss Nardelli, you're a part of that as well. Yeah. Can you come up here um as well? And then I think there's someone else who I think is okay. I'm going to step aside for a moment. This is actually a faculty recognition. Hi, Mrs. Nardelli. She is very very
014very mad at me right now, but she will forgive me. Um, I'd like to on behalf of Dr. Palazo congratulate Mrs. Nardelli on being what is our the official recognition? You are the educator support personnel of the year for the district. [Applause] Although I know she is mad at me, I am going to take just a few minutes of everybody's time because she is absolutely wonderful and deserves that right now. Much more, but we're just going to give a few seconds. It is with great pride and heartfelt appreciation that I congratulate Jen on this award. As a dedicated and compassionate assistant in our special education life skills classroom, Jen consistently goes above and beyond in every single aspect of her role. Jen's impact on our classroom is immeasurable. She brings a very rare combination of
015patience, empathy, and enthusiasm that truly transforms the learning environment and not only in our classroom but in this entire building. Whether she is helping students navigate their daily routines, supporting them in achieving their IEP goals, or finding very creative ways to teach essential life skills, Jen does it all with grace and dedication and a very fastpaced walk down these hallways. What sets Jen apart is her unwavering commitment to each students growth and well-being. She builds meaningful relationships with our students, taking the time to understand their individual needs, their strengths, and their personalities. She advocates for them fiercely, celebrates their progress wholeheartedly. Don't cry because I'm going to cry, and provides constant encouragement that boosts their confidence and their independence. Jen's support extends far beyond our classroom. She frequently volunteers her time for all school events,
016helps prepare many materials at home, even though I tell her not to, and is always the first to lend a hand to all of her colleagues. Her positivity, her teamwork uplift everybody around her, making our classroom and our school community much stronger. I personally would be lost without her. Jen exemplifies what it means to be a true partner in education. And as those of us in education know, that is difficult these days. Her passion, her dedication, and her genuine love for all of our students make her not only an exceptional teacher assistant, but an inspiration to all of us daily. Jen Nardelli's commitment to her role is a domino effect of positivity and greatness to our district. It is a true blessing to work beside her daily. And on behalf of all of us in
017122 who work with you daily, thank you for just being you. I can't think of anyone more deserving of this recognition. Please help me congratulate her. Congratulate surprise. Um Lisa Tventstro, can you please come on up? So this is So we've changed things a bit this year. where uh we typically do our district teacher of the year and ESP recognition um at our last day of school when we have the teachers um they get they have a day usually after the students but we were never we never did the recognition at the school committee or publicly so as a faculty and staff we get to celebrate but no one else sees our excitement so I I have Miss Lisa Tventstrip here with me as what I'd like to do though is you stand with me
018for a moment as we together recognize our district teacher of the year. She is a teacher who has a deep commitment to and is described as one who is destined to be a teacher. She focuses on mastering subject matter and effective instruction, but she goes beyond to bring math to life. She was one of the first early adopters of integrating technology into the classroom and has continued that lead serving in an instructional technology coordinator role which has strategically assisted in the professional growth and development of her colleagues. She has also served as a mentor for our students in the passion project coordinator again bringing passion to production. Her role extends beyond her classroom instruction interactions with colleagues as she is also the union president. Why don't you come on up now as I finish this?
019All right. Um, this role allows her to serve as a trusted mentor for her colleagues. Her colleague wrote, "The door is always open whether modeling effective teaching model teaching methods, offering professional advice, integrating technology into the classroom, or addressing managing a union issue. She is really easy to work with as the union president. Her influence extends from every corner of our education system. And I am pleased to surprise and recognize Mary Keeble as the 2025 Foster Gloucester Regional School District Teacher of the Year. And your friends So, it was fitting that Miss Tentstrip um was up here. The reason I had her is because some of the words came from her. You can turn right around, Miss T. Come on. You're coming back. And Mrs. Keville, you can come stand here as well. This is
020a dynamic duo. Lisa Tventstrap is named the 2026 Neri um National Education Association of Rhode Island Teaching Excellence Award recipient. This honor recognized her outstanding contributions to teaching and unwavering advocacy for public education. Lisa has a teaching career that spans 40 years. It's awesome. here when I get to that page with a dedication to history and social studies. She has master the content and instructional design for specialty courses which include East Asian history, world cultures, and genocide before it was required by the state. Thank you. Lisa focuses her instruction on engaging students and bringing together diverse perspectives with the goal of having students recognize they are more alike than different. And she does this in an engaging, passionate, meaningful way. If you walk by Lisa's classroom, you will see it separated with students facing one
021another, allowing allowing for discussion and connection, but also she leaves the middle open. So sometimes she goes in the middle and steps in and then sometimes she pulls back and allows that that natural conversation to flow. Her instruction often spills out in the hallway, the extension of the classroom, which allows you to walk by and be part of the learning process with her students, and they eagerly engage if you ask them questions. Her door is always open and sometimes she invites you into the conversation and discussion whether you want to or not thus bringing the topic to real life. Lisa has dedicated her life to teaching students and both students and colleagues alike will attest to her dedication and love of social studies. We are honored to recognize Miss Tventrip with this award. Congratul Okay.
022Oh yeah yeah yeah. And that concludes the fun part of the night. You're all welcome to stay for this fun-filled meeting, but feel free to be dismissed if you would choose to do so. Oh boy. Aka run if you want to. Run away if you want. Thank you. Thank you, Amanda. I don't know if you have to stay. Okay. Sure. I make a motion to approve the minutes of the open meeting on May 8th, 2025. Second. Any discussion? Greg, now how do you I wasn't here. So, am I allowed to vote on it? How do you want us likefortable? Okay, perfect. Thank you. All those in favor? I I I abstain because I wasn't here. Okay. I I was also not here. Okay. 602. 602. Madam Chair, make a motion to approve the minutes of
023the executive session on May 8th, 2025. Second. Any discussion? All those in favor? I I oppos. I abstain. I'm sorry. Thank you. Mike, are you abstaining also? Thank you. Monthly bills. Madam Chair, I make a motion to approve the monthly bills dated May 1st, 2025 to May 31st, 2025 in the amount of 1,532,7510. Second. Any discussion? All those in favor? I opposed finance update. So, as of May 31st, we're at 94.7% collected for revenue and 85.25 for expenses. Um, so that's all I have on and I I do have one question for you. Um, I know with the governor's budget, do we know where state aid is coming in possibly? I know that it's still going through the general assembly. Do we have those the possibility of the numbers? Do we over do we underfund
024it for next year? That would be part of our budget update. Um the last update that I got was from April 25th was the latest number I have. Um but it is part of our our budget. Okay. And the numbers that were put out in the governor's budget was put forward in this budget. Correct. In the budget that passed at the financial town meeting. Correct. No. So, so we're on if you if you look at we're on agenda item um the revenue and expense 7A, that's the one that we just spoke about. Um and then we also have so before we move on to the next which is B, there's information on that that we're going to share with you the approval of right of the updated FY26 budget. Oops, I didn't mean to uh
025jump in. Sorry, that's right. That's a good question. Um but if if you if you go back to a the revenue and expense monthly um we are asking um if we have uh funds available and we'd like to purchase science furniture for the middle school um that is part of your approval page. It would be just a transfer a line transfer for Ann to do. We do have the money there. Yes. So uh the Do you want me to give the totals for that? The furniture. Um I don't think it's it's in your pack. It's not in your packet. We just got the quotes today. Uh it's 50 about 54,000. It would be 54,000 to equip all the science rooms at the middle school which currently have tables that are um we did originally put
026it in next year's budget but with the cuts we are able to to put it in this this year's we have the funds for it. So I would ask that you approve that. May I please ask where the funds are being transferred from? Yes. So when we we get extra money in tuition this year that we hadn't expected and so this is what the tuition money is for the onetime purchases. It would be about 50 55. Yeah, 54. And it would take all the science classrooms in the middle school. Perfect. Thank you, Madam Chair. I make a motion to approve the purchase of furniture for the science classrooms at PMS. Second. Any discussion? All those in favor? I abstensions. The other request we had was um to purchase a van for special ed. This past
027month, our special ed ban has broken down three times. Um, and as you know, uh, last fall, you were presented with the changes in the CDP and our transition program that were required to have our students out in the community. We currently have one van that serves that purpose. Um, and actually one of our students was stuck in the van. We had to call Hopkins um to to bring bring the students back. Um, we did get quotes from the companies that we did our last vans from earlier this year. Um, I'm still waiting on one quote that he's supposed to give me tomorrow. Um, but it looks to be about 63,000. So, my ask would be if you can approve um approve the motion for the vans not to exceed 63,000 $63,000. Again, that comes
028from the funds of tuition. They would be onetime purchases. Madam Chair, I make a motion to approve the purchase of a van for the special education program not to exceed $63,000. Second. Any discussion? All those in favor? I proposed. And the next item is the April I'm sorry, the update on the FY26 budget. This is the one that um I think Aaron the question you were asking um they have this this summary in their packets. Correct, Dan? Yep. The summary is item 7B. Um and it just it's a summary of where we had to we had a reduction in revenue from um the voted decrease in appropriation and then uh state aid that based on our latest number. Uh that's where we think it's going to come in 173 less. So we offset offset that
029and we also had an increase in um health insurance premiums that we know are going to be higher than our original estimate. So those are offset by uh the expenses listed below. We've reduced salary and benefits, school-based material programs, buildings and ground and central office. So and just by asking so we're using 400,000 to offset this cut, correct? Out of fund balance. We didn't change what's coming out of fund balance. This is reductions in the budget. Okay. On that note, if I may, if you don't mind, please. Um, I cannot approve this budget with the $400,000 use from fund balance. We did $150,000 last year, and that's fine, but I feel like we're creating a structural deficit expect with 400,000. That's a lot of money. It's a $250,000 increase from the previous year. Um, I
030just think that we need to be careful using money that we don't have, especially when we're taking the funds, the extra funds this year that would have carried over. And I totally like I completely approve and support the classroom desks and the van for the special education. I think those are incredibly important. But keep in mind now that 110,000 approximately now is not going over to fund balance which would have been used to offset the fund balance. So I really think it's a dangerous move to make putting in the 400,000. I think we're creating a structural deficit and it's a dangerous road to go on. And what what I can say I understand that um and if our tuition comes in higher which I'm I'm hoping that it will because we created the budget in
031November. If our tuition comes in higher then that money wouldn't be wouldn't be used or wouldn't be touched. Um do we have any tuition enrollments numbers yet? We do. We've kept it we've kept it the same and we've tried to exceed a little bit but also the schedule is should everything should be finalized by Friday. I should know more. But again, you can say that au we offer the students and then if they change their mind, it might not might not come. I mean, so to Shel's point then, it sounds like we should be taking a closer look and having an honest discussion about what the tuition revenue is forecasted to be and what we're counting on and not using the fund balance. Um, as as she is correct, that's that's not a best practice
032for us to do. The other part I wanted to add is that I'm a little, you know, saddened to see that we're counting on laying off two teachers. I believe or is that um which so we're so um yes we're laying off two teachers but one was a one-year position. Okay. Um and the other one the the enrollment numbers um show that we would be fine with that. Um it yes perhaps the enrollment numbers show that but I do believe some of those teachers provide services above and beyond just classroom services. So I do think the overall programming would suffer. So I I think because of those two reasons I'm also uh not in favor of what we're currently looking at here. May I also ask a question if you don't mind please? Um our
033office so we acquired Mary King back I believe like three years ago. Three. So and she was only going to be part-time as to as a consultant because at the at the time we didn't have a business manager and she was a consultant then she was training in. Is there a point of us leaning away from that to start saving some money? Yes we have. We just hired our controller a month or so ago. So Ann's position was vacant. Remember that we had a business manager, a controller, Ann's position was vacant. We just hired Ed. Um I think in the April meeting we we approved it. So we are full. We are complete. Um Mary has wrapped up and and now would just be a question and answer if we need it. Um but we
034are fully staffed now and and I feel like three years in we have a solid understanding of our financial Okay. Needs. Thank you. Any other discussion? I I just agree with the fund balance piece. Um just knowing the state of affairs and the our our other district, uh I just don't want us to head down that same direction. So I think yeah, I I get that. But I think there's a a large opinion in the town that we have a hefty fund balance. And I think um like in this instance we're being responsible with it. And I worry that next year if the town I don't like speaking for Gloucester I guess if the town's in a in a worse position next year the region budget could get decimated again. So I think if we
035haven't we're meeting in the middle based on like the deficit that we have we're adding a little bit to meet in the middle. I think we're making kind of like a fair balance. We're cutting but still trying to offset some of the costs. So, I think knowing that we have a hefty fund balance and I think it's going to be used responsibly knowing what we're going into next year, I'm comfortable with it. So, I'm just just letting everybody know. I I wasn't going to bring up Glosser in general or next year, but I just want to put it out there that I I will not be in support of any increase to the regional budget next year at all. So I I'm staying that now because of you know obvious reasons. So Eileen if you
036don't mind please. Um so I want to keep in mind that our fund balance we are considered our own fiscal agent at the region. So we have to have a hefty fund balance because we can't go to the town if there's an emergency. If our boiler breaks or something happens we need that here because there's no town to back us up. We are our own entity. So we have to have a significant fund balance in case there's an emergency. And that's why we are actually required in our charter to have a significant a certain amount. We're we've we are currently exceeding what we're required to have and um what we're looking is our capital projects. So uh we have a a comfortable fund balance and capital projects right now but we also know what's outside
037on on the field and and looking at those projects. So um and what what is the total fund balance? Do you know the unassigned? Yeah. uh 3.8 as of 6:30 24. And if I may, what are we required to have? Do you know what? Um I don't have that figure in front of me. It's eight I believe it's 8%. It's 8% of our overall budget. Yeah. So require what's our total budget operating? It's not the overall budget. It's it's the it's um it's of the operating budget. But so so I understand what you're saying that um you you but my my question is what is your ask that we reduce it like we did last year to 150 to keep it the same. I'm fine with 150. That's reasonable to carry it over. It's the
038400 is just a sign it's a $250,000 increase. That's a significant increase. I I understand and but I think also the year before we had 250 and we didn't use it so it stayed in our fund balance and last year we had 150 and we didn't use it and stay which is great. Like that's so that's safer to me but to say all right 400. So even if we use 150 of it, I'd be not using $150,000 is very reassuring, but not using 400,000. That's a big part of our budget and that's my only scare that like if we depend on that and now we're going to have a hole next year. So like Amy just said, when we go to the taxpayers now and we say, "All right, we need more money because we
039got to fill this $400,000 void that we didn't that we put in our budget that we don't have now because we did need it. In fact, need it." Right. I feel like all we heard this year from the and I agree because we're going through the fund balance issue at the elementaryaries, but all we heard from everybody is why is the region sitting pretty on all the money that it has and not offsetting any of the costs? Why even pass on an increase to the taxpayer when they're sitting on $4 million almost, right? So, it's like we're not completely putting the fund balance towards what we're increasing the levy, but we're offsetting it slightly, which and it may not even get spent. Like the last two years it didn't. So, the I'm sorry, Brenda, go
040ahead. Yeah. I mean, I to that point, what I would say is that last year we considered $150,000 in fund balance in our budget, right? We just spent $110,000 on sort of discretionary projects which are important but which are funded essentially with that money that we didn't use. So I think we should just be a little bit more honest with our accounting and take a closer look at what our actual expenses are, what our actual revenues are and take that out and if we want to spend those funds take it right out of capital fund balance to be clear about it like don't so I think yeah put it in right but to what you just said was the money that was left was used on one time purchases correct which the ideal scenario for
041anytime you're using fund balance correct but those aren't budget as expenses either that's Right. Yeah. Understood. So that's why I was saying if we get like Brendan to Brendan to support Brendan's fact, the statement you just made, if we went through the budget and found things that were onetime expenditures, be it furniture, be it a van, be it a backhoe, I don't know, things that you think that we need for the school, then take that $400,000, take the money out. I do agree that's what it should be used for one time. But when you're using money to offset an entire budget, it's a slippery slope that you're going down. But it's a budget, right? I think the the clar the the clarification is we're talking about two different budgets, right? So, right now we had
042furniture budgeted next year and we took it out because of the the reductions, but we still need furniture. So, this year, because we had the money that came in from tuition, it makes sense to purchase furniture this year because if you're not going to per purchase it next year, and I don't know if a few years down the road you would purchase, that's my that's my my ask for for the furniture. The van was not budgeted, but the van was purchased in 2011 and and Gary can attest to it. It's broken down three times. We've had it repaired. It was not properly maintained, so it became a really big issue and we're not putting students we don't have we don't have the travel to put to put the students out. So, that's my ask for
043that. With respect to next year, what I hear you saying is you want us to now reduce the fund balance. Um, but the budget was approved the way it was approved. So if we reduce the fund balance then I'm not reducing 755,000 I'm reducing 400,000 on top of that or no it's another 250. Well because so now what is there anything in the budget like so you said that you need furniture and I agree with Mark. So we have that significant fund balance that fund balance instead of being in the budget should be used to buy furniture. So it's not even in the budget. Does that make sense? So say next year you need $100,000. I don't know how much furniture you need. Yes. That's but that's next year's what? But that would be but
044if I have money in the budget right now that would be a fund balance amount because we took in more tuition than we thought than we purchase it now. But what I'm trying to say is is that Marcus to Mark's statement that he is we have a significant amount of fund balance that should be used to offset I agree should be used to offset one-time expenditures not the budget as a whole. That's all I'm trying to say. I understand that. So that's it. Does that make sense? But but our onetime expenses that that that are in the budget next year when you I think Brendan Brendan, didn't you say to go through the budget and kind of look at what what onetime expenditures? Yeah, I mean I think next year we end up in a
045spot where we've counted on fund balance presumably that we'll have at the end of this fiscal year coming up 25 26 to be somehow $400,000. It's cooked into the pie at that point. So when we're having our budget discussions next year, we're $400,000 short on revenue that we have to find somewhere. We're either adding it from fund balance once again or we're probably increasing that all of a sudden we're at 600 and that's it's a very slippery slope. I think we're just talking about best practices, right? Like moving forward. I think the conversation about what you're speaking about has been has happened at multiple meetings and I think if if as a town we we all take into consideration what people's recommendations are who have the knowledge and experience with this stuff then absolutely I
046I think it should be a best practice and it I I understand Rene's confusion as to like what to do because it was approved the way it was approved. I'm not confused by what to do. I think I'm confused by the by the conversation. Um, okay. To me, it sounds like we have revenue that we're getting that's higher than what we budgeted, right? And that's where this fund balance is coming from at the end of the year. No, that's but that's this year. We're talking about next year, correct? And when we had this conversation last year, we said we're going to have 150 in fund balance account. We should have perhaps had higher revenue rather than call like, you know, just be honest with our account or be honest is a bad word. That's okay.
047Thank you. Because we are being honest, right? But when the budget when the budget is is passed and approved in March, the tuition is not fully identified until school starts in September and those students walk through the door. So, as long as we take tuition revenue, it will always be a fluid number and our tuition gets paid throughout the year. We can say we've accepted this many students and they come in September, October, November, they can say no, I'm leaving and I'm going back to my district. Right? So we do often try to enroll students higher than what we think or higher. We we would we would offer it to students that are higher and then the enrollment sits where where it sits. And I want the record to show I wanted to just be
048clear that we always put our foster and glouester students first before we accept our out of district students. Just please let that let that be be known out there. So what I'm what I'm saying is right now we realize that we had more students than we had budgeted for and this this would this is a need right now and we have fun we have funds for it in FY25. Are we able to vote? So my ask is I make a motion to approve the fiscal year 26 updated budget as presented. Any discussion? I No. Should we do a hand vote just to make sure? Just I think it's just three of us. Pretty simple. Amy, myself. Want my hand out? We can I don't know. All those in favor. I make a motion to approve
049the repairs to the storm water drainage system at PHS. Thank you. You have one. Is there a second? Do I see it? We're on eight facilities update storm water drainage system PHS. Second. So, that is the only thing I have on the facilities update is the uh storm drainage uh repair that's necessary. I believe everyone has it in their packet. Um I did discuss with Brendan a little bit ago. We had some conversation about it. Um it is an urgent matter for sure. Um so it would be beneficial I think if we could go ahead and move on that. So is the didn't is this the parking lot that got done a little bit ago like 2019 but the drainage it it stayed just the same way original yeah original drainage so none of that
050got touched so the water the water meets go down the hill below right the pipes below I'm saying the water meets in a central point or doesn't go down that hill it's supposed to go downhill it's supposed to go down the hill that's the problem the part of part of the issue was over the years people had used that back part of the parking lot is like a dumping site for dirt and concrete blocks or whatever. Well, over the years, the end of the pipe got covered. Gotcha. So, it never drained properly, which resulted in some of this damage, but a lot of it's just age. You know, it's just old and and in need of repair. We've uh developed one sinkhole already in the parking lot that we have a steel plate over. Um
051and talking with the contractor, you know, he was very adamant that this is an extremely urgent matter or we could have many more sink holes and potentially total collapse of pipes. So it's something that unfortunate but it does need to get done and lining appears to be the best solution. Okay, any other questions? financial instrument. This money is coming from capital, correct? Okay. Thank you. It's coming from fund balance. No, just kidding. Too soon. Too soon. I I mean, candidly, it see it's a big number, but it it's it's it's an emergency need and it has to be done over the summer. It does. Um the the contractor that they've reached out to is on the master purchase agreement. Um I asked Gary a lot of questions and he had solid answer from them as
052did Steve um who had an obligation and couldn't be here tonight. Um a family member pass. Um, so yeah, I I mean I think we need to do it and hopefully this corrects it. And I think long term we talked about how to prevent it from happening again because I think that's part of it like you know a lot of times these things come up. It seems like it's always a game of like um emergency whack-a-ole here, right? Um because like stuff this is stuff with like a 30-year lifespan which frankly exceeds the duration of a lot of the professional I mean there are tenure here. There are numerous things we can do moving forward for preventive maintenance. I mean, I'm sure those basins never got cleaned properly or timely. You know, all those things
053add up to, you know, long-term preventative maintenance. So, you know, I think once we get it lined, I I I wish I could recall what the uh warranty period was. I'm I'm sorry, but I can't. I know Steve does have that in his notes. Um, but I think it's it's the best solution we can come up with right now. Um, yes, it is expensive, but it's cheaper than a, you know, completely caved in parking. It's cheaper than a Volkswagen ending up at a hole, especially now that we know about it. Right. Right. We're obligated to to address it. Any other discussion? All those in favor? I opposed extensions. Thank you. All right. Thank you. Appreciate it. Uh, number nine, approval of Northwest Rhode Island Special Education Collaborative Agreement. I make a motion to approve the
054Northwest Rhode Island Special Education Collaborative Agreement as presented in the packet. Second. Any discussion? All those in favor? I I opposed extensions. Superintendent report. I don't have any updates. Okay. Thank you. Um, donation to the food bank, Raymond versus Foster Glouester School District. So, this is an update from our last meeting. Um, the agreement was that we would donate $2,000 um to the food bank. Each Gloucester Food Bank received a thousand and Foster Food Bank received a thousand. And thank you, Brandon, for arranging that contact. If I could just uh couple of points and questions. Um I've been in contact with the attorney general. He knows obviously he approved that. He was actually very pleased with that. Um we are going to need some type of receipt, some type of written receipt from them obviously
055just to confirm it um for their records. And then the only other point I wanted to make was at the time I think that I mean we discussed whether I don't know if the AG is going to put out a press conference a press release or something whether the committee wants to consider putting out something that I'll just wanted to raise that point. All right. Uh, number 12, Card's Donation PMS Life Skills Program. So, this is good news. You have um you have a picture in your packet. Mary Kate Wilson, she is um a teacher at the middle school. She teaches in our life skills program. And on Friday, May 2nd, she reached out to Cardies. They have, you know, their we used to call them pods, the suite area, and it's right outside her
056classroom and it's empty. So she said she just reached out and said, "Is there a possibility that you would donate some furniture?" And three days later, Pete Cardi called her and said, "Hey, you speak with George Alves and he's in charge of donations and here you go." And immediately um they started the process and a week later they received beautiful two um like one's a sofa love seat, one's a couch. It has a a stick, a beautiful table. Uh and the kids love it. So I think I might be uh renting a you know, it sounds nicer than my It's really nice. That's awesome. So, we want to publicly thank Cardies. Um, and it was put on our Facebook page as well. They didn't ask for the recognition. They didn't ask for anything. They just
057said here you go and enjoy. So, I just want to say thank you. And Mary Kate could not be here tonight. Her son is in a playoff game. Um, so, but she sends her no happiness. That's awesome. Thank you for sharing that with us. Uh, Rhode Island uh students, we're gonna table that. Oh, we're going to table number 13. We're going to table. Okay. Public comment. No public comment. Okay. Um I make a motion to convene to executive session to discuss and or vote on the following matters. 42-45 grievance neon grievance. Um 42-46-5 pending litigation legal advice. Second. All those in favor.